SFA set to reject Barrie McKay’s new five-year contract at Rangers

Rangers’ already fraught relationship with the Scottish Football Association
is set to hit rock bottom after Hampden officials disclosed on Wednesday
night that they would refuse to accept the registration of winger Barrie
McKay’s new five-year contract.

Deep in thought: Charles Green and Ally McCoistPhoto: PA

By Ewing Grahame

11:59PM BST 12 Sep 2012

McKay, midfielder Lewis Macleod and defender Robbie Crawford have all signed improved and extended deals tying them to Ibrox until 2017.

However, 17-year-old McKay’s agreement breaks the SFA’s rules and they’ll either return it to the club for modification or consider it due to expire in 2015.

Because McKay is under 18 he’s regarded as a minor and both Fifa and SFA statutes insist that long-term contracts for players of that age are inappropriate.

Rule 2.2.3 of the SFA’s Registration Procedures states: “The registration of a player who is under 18 years of age at the time of signing a Non-Recreational Player Registration Form may be for a period not exceeding three years.

“Any clause referring to a longer duration within the relative agreement between the player and the club shall not be recognised and the player’s registration only effected for a period of no more than three years.”

“If you read the rules it says that effect won’t be given to the portion that’s over it – in this case, the last two years,” said Sandy Bryson at the SFA’s Registrations Department.

“Effectively, it will be a three-year registration. It might well be, though, that the club – if and when we receive any registration from them – might want to pare it back anyway.

“This will certainly be pointed out to them. They could enter a three-year contract for him just now and then, when he turns 18 [on Dec 30], offer him a longer one if everyone is still agreeable to do so.”

A Scottish Premier League-appointed commission has set a date of Nov 13 for a hearing regarding alleged undisclosed payments by Rangers to commence.

The commission will proceed with its inquiry after considering all the preliminary issues over two days of initial meetings.

The three-man panel was appointed following initial assessment of Employee Benefit Trust transactions to Rangers players from 2000 to 2011 under the previous Ibrox regime, which could breach SPL rules over declaring payments in contracts.

Rangers have already refused to co-operate and did not attend the initial hearings which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The hearing will continue from day to day as required until Nov 16, with additional dates of Nov 20 and 21 also allocated should any further continuation be required.

Solicitors for the SPL have been directed to lodge any additional documents, together with an outline argument and a list of witnesses, by 4pm on Oct 19.

Oldco and Newco Rangers have been told to lodge their own documents, outline argument and a list of witnesses by 4pm on Nov 1.

A statement released by the SPL read: "The commission has considered all the preliminary issues raised in the list submitted by Newco and points raised in letters from solicitors acting for Newco and for Oldco.

"It has decided the commission will proceed with its inquiry in the terms of the Notice of Commission and will now set a date for a hearing and give directions.

"Oldco and Rangers FC, who are named in the Issues contained in the Notice of Commission and alleged to have been in breach of SPL rules, will continue to have the right to appear and be represented at all hearings of the commission and to make such submissions as they think fit.

"Newco, as the current owner and operator of Rangers FC, although not alleged by the SPL to have committed any breach of SPL Rules, will also have the right to appear and be represented at all hearings of the commission and to make such submissions as it thinks fit."

Charles Green's company bought the assets and business of the soon-to-be liquidated oldco Rangers in the summer and secured the club's Scottish Football Association membership but was denied entry to the SPL.

In a lengthy statement released earlier this week, the Ibrox chief executive claimed the SPL had no legal authority over his Irn-Bru Third Division club.

Green also questioned the independence of the three-man panel, which is chaired by Lord Nimmo Smith and includes two QCs, and threatened legal action if SPL titles are stripped from Rangers.

In the statement, he said: "The club ceased to be subject to the SPL's rules when it was ejected from its league.

"Our lawyers have made that point repeatedly to the SPL in correspondence and yet our requests for an explanation from the SPL have been completely ignored. The SPL's silence on these issues is deafening.

"The outcome of the SPL's process will have no legal effect."

Dundee United have signed Gregory Vignal on a short-term deal.

The Frenchman has joined the Tayside club until Jan 5, with United having the option of extending the deal.

Vignal - who can play in defence or midfield - previously had spells with Liverpool, Lens, Southampton, Portsmouth and Kaiserslautern.

The 31-year-old also won a league title and League Cup medal while on loan at Rangers in season 2004-05.